Chapter 19
September 2, 780
Hydrozeno sat grumpily in front of his tent. Sam sat nearby oiling his leather armor and Hydrozeno suspected keeping his eyes on Hydrozeno at Captain Octavia’s orders. For a moment Hydrozeno was tempted to call the slothkin, punch him in the face, and run off into the wilds to hunt the terrifying Knightmare. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, there were several things keeping Hydrozeno from doing just that. The first was that Sam was just too likable. Nobody wanted to punch Sam.
The second was that it would actually be more fun to punch Hadrian.The skilled warrior was already bruised from being punched in the face by Hydrozeno once or twice a week. Hydrozeno knew it was stupid and the other warrior had already responded by beating Hydrozeno severely several times. Octavia had even given Hadrian express permission to beat Hydrozeno anytime the Hydrablood tried to punch him.
After all, what was a beating to Hydrozeno? A little pain and a few days of recovery. In the end it came out in Hydrozeno’s favor because it took Hadrian much longer to heal from Hydrozeno’s punches than for Hydrozeno to recover from being beaten half to death. It had been particularly unpleasant for Hadrian after the first beating when the expert swordsman had forgotten that punching someone sometimes caused their blood to get on their attacker and Hydrozeno’s blood was literally hydra blood, which meant it was acidic. It was not really a fair exchange and everyone in camp knew it.
The third reason that Hydrozeno was stuck as a prisoner in the camp was simple. He needed food.Hydrozeno’s body required copious amounts of food and while he could easily carry it, Octavia had temporarily revoked his rights of requisition from the quartermaster. So he was stuck with the daily allotment of tough, bland hard tack that was assigned to him. He could probably steal the food, but that would break the first rule of thieving that Icepaw had taught Icepaw all those years ago. Never steal from people who do not deserve it.
As angry as Hydrozeno was with Octavia for keeping him here for nearly a month while one of those things wandered around, he knew she did not deserve to be stolen from. The stubborn dwarf had been kind to him. The thoughts of Octavia’s kindness in taking Hydrozeno into her company and of Icepaw’s simple friendship worked to calm Hydrozeno down.
Slowly the anger inside Hydrozeno began to dim, like a campfire that had been burning through the night. The heat cooled and the flames disappeared, but the hot coals were there, waiting patiently to be stirred up again.
That flame briefly flared up again as a long claw poked Hydrozeno in the side. The irritable hydrablood flicked over at whoever had dared to interrupt his contemplation. The cheerful visage of Sam did not so much as flinch as the golden eyes glared menacingly up at him.
“Hey… boss… you… are… scowling… again… You… told… me… to… poke… you… when… you… scowled… too… much.”
Hydrozeno’s scowl deepened. Sam’s second poke was harder.
“Wha-?! Would you stop doing that?” Hydrozeno yelped in surprise, “also how do you always do that? I swear you have a skill or spell for that. No slothkin should be that fast naturally.
Sam nodded slowly, “It’s… called… rapid… poke… My… birthday… was… last… week… and… I… used… my… free… skill… point… to… get… it… so… that… I… may… execute… my… squad… leader’s… every… command… more… efficiently.”
Hydrozeno narrowed his eyes and waited. It would take several seconds before he would be able to read the expression on Sam’s face. Playing cards with slothkin was a slow, laborious project. It took a while for expressions to catch up with their mouths. Unfortunately, Sam had an excellent poker face on top of his species' natural mental armor of… slothfulness? That did not seem like the right word, but Hydrozeno did not care. Words were Dan’s thing. Hydrozeno could barely read and still had very little interest in improving that particular skill. He had more important things to do. Like figure out what Sam was laughing at.
The slothkin was not actually laughing, but the gleam that was creeping into his dark eyes told Hydrozeno that Sam was very amused at something. Then it clicked.
“You actually got a skill called rapid poke?” Hydrozeno asked incredulously.
Sam just smiled enigmatically.
“There’s a skill called rapid poke?”
Hydrozeno whirled around. A figure in polished steel plate armor was striding towards them, a helmet tucked into the crook of their right arm. A right arm that ended in a stump. The Blackwolf had arrived at last.
“Sam, you could have told me that they had arrived,” Hydrozeno said with another scowl. He realized too late his mistake. The poke jabbed the exact same spot as the previous two.
“I… am… sorry… sir… You… seemed… busy.”
“Doing what?”
“Scowling… sir.”
“You are fired.”
“Noted… again.”
Dan raised an eyebrow at the exchange, “Am I interrupting something? I can come back.”
Hydrozeno stepped forward and offered his hand in greeting. Dan looked amused as he looked at the proffered hand. Then he gave a small smile, shifted the helmet to the other arm and placed the severed end of his right arm in Hydrozeno’s palm. Hydrozeno looked down in mortification as he realized his social gaffe. Well he was already committed, might as well go all in. He closed his hand around the stump and gave it a firm shake.
Dan grinned, “It’s always entertaining when people do that.”
Hydrozeno blinked, “It happens often.”
Dan waved his arm dismissively, “More than you would think. I actually find it useful.”
Hydrozeno gaped, “How?”
Dan’s grin got even wider.
“More than one lord had done exactly what you just did and panicked when they realized they might have offended me. After that most are fumbling to make amends. Nobody wants to end up like poor Lord Reginald.”
“What… happened… to… this… Lord… Reginald?”
Dan placed his left hand very deliberately on the hilt of the sword on his left hip.
“He met the true black wolf.”
Hydrozeno eyed the sword. He recognized Memory. He couldn’t see the metal of the blade, but its sheath was half rotted and pieces of blue leather rotted and turned black within seconds before a shining rune inscribed near the hilt flashed and the leather instantly repaired itself, its color turning blue once more. The process then began to repeat.
“That… is… fascinating… I… believe… I… have… other… duties… elsewhere.”
Sam trundled off. Hydrozeno noticed that the slothkin was shaking slightly.
“I wonder what that was about,” Hydrozeno puzzled.
Dan sighed, “Most beastkin react that way around Memory. I think the corruption triggers some kind of innate instinct inside them.”
“Makes sense,” Hydrozeno said before looking Dan straight in the eye, “Does Kiln know you are here?”
Dan nodded grimly, “Yes, he started running moments after we arrived.”
Hydrozeno shook his head in disappointment, “Five years and the two of you still won’t talk to each other.”
“Oh, no you misunderstand,” Dan smirked, “He wasn’t running from me. I brought his sister with me.”
* * *
Kiln was in open flight through the camp. If he could just break line of sight quickly he had a chance, but in his heart he knew he would never make it. Behind him the lithe form of his older sister, Ariela, was steadily gained on him.
“Little brother, please stop wasting my time. You are not getting away this time.”
In a surge of panic, Kiln poured his single bit of body mana into a temporary burst of speed as he rounded a tent, wishing that the knightmare had not destroyed his precious boots of speed. He could not let her catch him. She would drag him back home where he would be confined to the village until he reached the end of his first century. He would not let her take that freedom from him.
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As Kiln sped around the corner he ran head on into what he thought was a wall. He ricocheted off the stone and found himself sprawled in the dirt. In a daze he looked up and up and up, into the rough carved face of Cobblestone who gazed stonily down at him.
“Not good,” Kiln groaned out loud.
He started to roll back up to his feet only to feel a pair of very strong fingers grab one of his ears and twist. He cried out as he was jerked to the ground by the grip on his very strong, yet incredibly sensitive ears. It was a perfectly executed example of an elven ear throw. Kiln found himself face first in the dirt this time. Then he felt a great weight settle on his lower back.
“Get off Ariela! You are heavy!”
That was the wrong thing to say.
* * *
It did not take long for Hydrozeno and Dan to find Kiln. The pair simply followed the desperate calls of pain and cries for mercy. They pushed through the small crowd of soldiers that had gathered around the commotion. Hydrozeno stopped in amusement as he saw a female elf sitting atop Kiln, one knee firmly planted on his spine and both of her hands were occupied in violently twisting Kiln’s ears. Kiln was howling and desperately trying to pry her fingers away. Unfortunately he was unable to see properly and so he failed utterly to dislodge his assailant. Then Kiln caught sight of Hydrozeno and Dan. He desperately reached out to them.
“Help me!”
Dan knelt down just out of reach, “Do you have any idea how many letters and messengers your mother sent me, trying to contact you? I know you got them. Octavia confirmed that you got every single one.”
Then Dan leaned in and patted his friend on the head, a wicked smile spreading across his face, “Besides, there is no one among any of the Creator’s thirteen guardians that could compel me to even try and stop your sister. She is over four times my age.”
Hydrozeno was awed as Dan paid for his mistake dearly. One of the first lessons on socializing with women that Icepaw had taught Hydrozeno was to never comment on a woman’s weight or age. Doing so could have terrible consequences, Icepaw had taught. Today Hydrozeno added a new lesson to that. Never, ever tick off a female elf. They were in all likelihood, much older, more skilled, and far more Skilled than you were. He fingered his own pointed ears and was immediately comforted by the fact that he could regrow them if they were torn off.
Name: Hydrozeno
Age: 23
Race: Hydrablood Elf
Mana:
Blessings:
Scimitar of Flame: Level 1 0/2 Does 1 point of fire damage
Bag of the Companion
Health Level 2 2/4 Health 2/2
Claws Level 2 2/4
Bite Level 2 3/4
Fur Level 1 1/2
Rapier of the Fallen Snow
Skills:
Health: 28/28
Base Defense: 4
Longevity: Level 4 8/16
Darkvision: Level 4 8/16
Bow Range: Level 1 0/2
Bow Damage: Level 3 3/8
Bow Accuracy: Level 3 0/8
Regeneration: Level 10 162/512 10/10 points used
Regeneration: Level 3 0/4 regain 3(4) additional health per day
Instant Regeneration: Level 3 1/4 0/3(4) healing points remaining
Regeneration of the Hydra: Level 1 0/2 Each level increases the amount of regeneration and instant regeneration by 1
Swimming: Level 3 1/8
Scimitar Accuracy: Level 3 0/8
Scimitar Damage: Level 3 0/8
Scimitar Parry: Level 2 0/4
Light Armor: Level 2 0/4
Acidic Blood: Level 1 0/2
Cooking: Level 1 0/2
Intimidation: Level 2 0/4
Poison resistance: Level 1 0/2
Shield: Level 2 0/4
Name: Kilnoher
Age: 23
Race: Elf
Mana
Nature Mana: 2/2
Earth Mana: 1/1
Body Mana: 0/1
Blessings:
Longbow of Sight: Level 1 0/2 Doubles your bow range and darkvision
Cloak of Shadows: Shadow Stealth Level 1 1/2 Increase your stealth level by the level of this cloak
Skills:
Health: 1/26
Base Defense: 0
Longevity: Level 4 8/16 Your lifespan in increase by 4 years
Darkvision: Level 4 8/16 You can see perfectly in the dark for up to 40(80) feet.
Bow range: Level 3 1/8 You bow range is 53(106) feet
Bow Accuracy: Level 2 2/4
Bow damage: Level 2 0/4
Nature Mana: Level 2 0/4
Earth Mana: Level 1 1/2
Stealth: Level 2(3) 0/4
Tracking: Level 2 0/4
Perception: Level 1 0/2
Body Mana: Level 1 0/2
Speed Boost Spell: Level 2 2/4 2/2 points used
Speed increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Sense Animals: Level 1 0/2 You can sense the presence of animal in a range of up to 100 feet for 1 second per nature mana used
Cartography: Level 1 0/2
Magic Items
Name: Dan Del Torre
Age: 21
Race: Human
Mana:
Basic Mana: 2/2
Body Mana 2/2
Fire Mana 1/1
Blessings:
Corrupted Blade of Memory: Relive the past of those you have slain and gain their experience
Wand of Binding: Level 2 0/2 2/2 points used
Charges level 1 0/2 0/1 charges(regains 1 charge per day)
Binding Duration: Level 1 0/2 Binding lasts 10 seconds
Skills: 1
Health: 26/26
Base defense: 1
Basic mana: Level 2 0/4
Body Mana: Level 2 0/4
Fire Mana: Level 1 0/2
Enchantment- Imbue Item(Skill Enhancement): Level 3 0/8 3/3 point used(requires 12 hour ritual and 1 gold per mana used)
Skill Enhancement increase: Level 1 0/2 Increases chosen skill by 1 level per 100(98) mana imbued
Skill Enhancement Duration: Level 1 0/2 Imbuement lasts 1 minutes per 100(98) mana imbued
Imbuement Item Recharge: Level 1 0/2 item recharges 1 mana per day
Longsword Accuracy: Level 3 4/8
Longsword Damage: Level 2 0/4
Longsword Parry: Level 3 2/8
Mana Circle(chosen skill): Level 3 2/8 Inscribe up to a level 3 mana circle on an object that will gather 1 mana per day per level. The inscriber may withdraw the mana at their leisure. Costs 100 gold to create per level or upgrade. Requires 12 hours uninterrupted to inscribe
Light Armor: Level 1 0/2
Mana Sight: Level 1 0/2 Can see mana at a range of 10 feet and 1% chance to identify its type
Magic resistance: Level 1 0/2
Enchantment Magic Mana Cost Reduction: Level 2 0/4 reduce enchantment costs by 2%
Speed Boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Speed increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Strength boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Strength increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Defense boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Defense increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Weapon Enhancement(Temporary): Level 2 0/4 2/2 points use
Weapon Damage: Level 1 0/2 Increased by 1 level per 100(98) mana used
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 attack per 100(98) mana used
Armor Enhancement(Temporary): Level 2 0/4 2/2 points use
Armor Level: Level 1 0/2 Increased by 1 level per 100(98) mana used
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 Endures 1 attack per 100(98) mana used
Fire burst: Level 1 0/2 Hurl a small burst of flame at the target
Damage: Level 1 0/2 does 1 point of damage per point of fire mana use
Range: Level 1 0/2 range of 10 feet
Magic Items
Sword Belt- Inscribed with level 3 magic circle
Current Mana:
541 Basic mana
783 Body mana
Repairing Sheath- Sheath can repair itself from damage at the cost of mana
Recharges 3 mana per day
Current Mana:
20 Basic Mana
Plate of Defense
Increases the level of Heavy Armor by 1 per 98 mana used for 1 minute
Recharges 1 mana per day
Current Mana:
312 Basic Mana
Boots of Strength
Increases physical strength by 1% per 98 mana used for 1 minute
Recharges 1 mana per day
Current Mana:
244 Basic Mana
Gauntlets of Striking
Increases weapon accuracy by 2 levels per 98 mana used for 1 minute
Recharges 1 mana per day
Current Mana:
` 226 Basic Mana